


Home is...

by orphan_account



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Catholicism, Debt, Drug Dealing, Flashbacks, Hospitalization, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Past Drug Use, Past Homelessness, Past Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Violence, Withdrawal (Mentioned), i feel like it's not as bad as it sounds but, im probably desensitized to it bc I've been rereading it over and over again lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 01:39:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7993909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>home is chocolate-brown hair</em>
    <br/>
    <em>& the smell of cinnamon</em>
    <br/>
    <em>& the unwavering warmth of tanned hands</em>
    <br/>
    <em>& the look on your face when I tell you</em>
    <br/>
    <em></em><br/>      <b>"You are loved."</b><br/>    
    <br/>
  </p>
</div><hr/>
<p>Antonio takes a walk and afterwards, his life is never the same again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home is...

It was around three in the morning when Antonio decided he couldn't sleep, so he might as well do something. When he couldn't find anything to do, he decided to take a walk.

Not many people generally opted to take a walk at 3am– especially not in the middle of October– but that was just the kind of person Antonio was. So he switched his pajamas pants out for a pair of jeans, slipped on his sneakers, put on on his parka and left.

Antonio liked taking walks at odd hours. He liked walking around in the day, of course, but at night everything was so calm and quiet. Like a magical, forbidden kind of place all to himself. Of course, he wasn't really completely alone– the occasional car drove by and such but that wasn't the point.

He put his hands in his pockets and grinned to himself, a sense of adventure making him giddy. Puffs of air were visible as he chuckled to himself.

Antonio walked for awhile like this until something caught his eye. This neighborhood wasn't really big on the crime radar, and he'd never run into trouble himself so he hadn't really thought about it. Because of this, he figured someone had spilled some paint, but...

Antonio's blood went cold and he felt prickly. He followed the trail of red until it stopped, and he gasped at where it led.  
An attractive young man– a few years younger than him, perhaps– lay in the corner where brick foundation met concrete stairs. He looked awful– tattered clothing and bruises, raw rings of red around his wrists. He breathed shallowly, shakily. He had a hand clamped around his side, red seeping through his fingers and glistening. He looked calm, however, eyes empty as if he had given up. Antonio didn't hesitate before rushing to his side, sitting him up gently and trying to rouse him.  
"H-hey! Stay with me, okay? I'll get you some help!" Antonio said, desperately. The boys' eyes shot open wide, staring at Antonio as if he didn't actually see him. He gasped, recoiling.  
"Get away from me, you sick Russian bastard! There's nothing left to take!" He shouted wearily. Antonio had pulled his phone out, dialing 911.  
"Shh, it's okay, I'm going to help you! I'm not going to hurt you, please believe me!" Antonio pleaded. The boy stared at him for a moment, and his eyes refocused, relief flooding his features.  
Antonio heard the voice of someone on the line and put the phone up to his ear.  
" _911, what's your–_ "  
"There's someone who needs an ambulance immediately! There's a lot of blood and I think he was shot or stabbed?" Antonio said quickly. He than told the operator their location, and listened to the instructions given.  
" _Lay him down flat. Make sure he's still breathing and keep him awake– there's an ambulance on its way._ " They said. Antonio did as he was told.  
"He's still breathing." Antonio said into the phone.  
"Hey, can you tell me your name? What happened to you?" He asked the young man, trying to keep his focus. He was ignored, and he watched as the stranger held something tightly in his hands and quietly spoke to himself.

" _Padre, mi perdoni per te trascurare per così tanto tempo. Non merito la tua misericordia, ma vi prego di guardare oltre il mio fratellino e tenerlo al sicuro. Non ho solo dimenticato, ma ho fallito come un fratello e ho fallito come un figlio. Risparmiami la vostra gentilezza e invece dare a Feliciano, che sia felice e di vivere una vita lunga e piena. Amen._ " The young man said breathily in Italian.

Just as he stopped speaking, a siren approached in the distance, and the paramedics had come. The young man had lost consciousness, and the paramedics worked fast to load him onto a gurney and into the ambulance. Antonio climbed in as well, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep until he knew the young man would be alright. Besides, he spent the past few minutes with a man who was probably bleeding to death– he'd become personally invested in this.

As the paramedics worked in the moving ambulance, Antonio took his phone out again, sending a message to his group chat with his friends; Gilbert, and Francis.

toni: gil ill c u in a bit. can explain over breakfast if u have time later

Gilbert was a surgeon, ironically. He was also working that night, so Antonio knew he'd see him at some point.

They arrived at the hospital, and Antonio kept up as the young man was hurried inside. He followed until they got to surgery, where he was stopped by a nurse. There were benches outside the doors, and he sat down on one, tapping his foot restlessly.

The night would only get longer.

  


It was 8 o'clock when Antonio was woken up by Gilbert.  
"Can I ask why you're just...sleeping here? Did your cousin get alcohol poisoning again? Cause you're in the wrong place, buddy." He said. Antonio yawned, remembering last night.  
"Gil, did you work on anyone who had rope burns?" He asked suddenly.  
"Hmm...yeah, actually. Kid had been shot." Gilbert said.  
"How is he? Is he okay?" Antonio asked, eyes big and worried.  
"Toni. Dude had been shot in the stomach, went into shock, and has a concussion." Gilbert said gravely. Antonio's heart sank.

"But he had the awesomest surgeon in the hospital! Me! He's stable and we're hoping he'll wake up soon." Gilbert said, voice confident and ego inflated. Antonio was so relieved, he sighed and slumped back against the bench.  
"I hope you don't scare your patients like that..." He said, chuckling.  
"Not unless I wanna get fired." Gilbert shrugged.  
"Anyway, I just got off so let's get Francis and get something to eat, and then you can explain what the shit is going on." He said, grinning. Antonio agreed, and they headed to Gilbert's car.

**Author's Note:**

> The translation for what Lovino says is this:
> 
> Father, forgive me for neglecting you for so long. I do not deserve your mercy, but please look over my little brother and keep him safe. I have not only forgotten you, but I have failed as a brother and I have failed as a son. Spare me your kindness and instead give Feliciano, to be happy and live a long and full life. Amen.
> 
> I used google translate, so honestly it could be 100% wrong. Still.
> 
> Comment if you have any criticisms! This is my first big story. I intend to update as I write, and I'm hoping it will go smoothly. Also, if you have anything you want to happen/recommendations go right ahead! I'm working off an outline I made, so there's room to fit other things in, if I feel they fit. 
> 
> I would really appreciate criticism, as I feel unsteady in the way I write and want to improve. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Stay tuned :)


End file.
